I looking for suggestions for an upcoming holiday feast.
I have a group of approx 15 coming over and want to do something out of the ordinary. It must be grilled/smoke because my wife has priority on the ovens (like I'm really complaining here). It needs to be easy. This occasion typically get out of hand real quick as far as adult beverages and the men in attendance are concerned. I've already been informed that deep frying a turkey was out of the question what with drunken guys and open flame. I thought of smoked turkey or mulitiple beercan birds but with two other Turkey holidays surrounding me, birds are out. So I'm looking for beef/pork/lamb ideas. Right now I'm leaning towards prime rib or a whole lamb.

It needs to be impressive. I didn't pick the name "Grand Scale" because I'm known for roasting burgers and weenies.

Sounds like fun. I understand wanting it to be impressive - my goal for events like these is that the guests only eat what I have prepared and the leftovers are the other dishes. I can only do this since my wife can only cook something that comes in a box with no more that three steps (and one of those being open the box!) so most of the food at events like this I prepare but we do have our guests bring a dish so that there is some varity in what is available.

Let me take a look at my book of secrets (ok so it is just a binder that I keep all of my reciepes from all of the gatherings we have and any of the cookouts that we have) and see what I come up with.

Hey guys, timely post. My wife only cooks (and really cooks great) Italian dishes, so I do all else. We have 8 people coming this weekend, and for a very grand scale (you see the pun,) I am going to smoke/cook a big load of wild salmon filets. I rub them with some chopped fresh dill, brown sugar, olive oil, garlic and some S&P. I will use alder wood for the fire and cook them on a nice thick cedar plank (cause that is all I have) and it makes a grand presentation. I have found that it takes about 2 ½ hours in a 250 degree smoker. I am going to serve it with a wild rice and mushroom pilaf and a autumn squash gratin. Getting hungry already.

When I smoke a whole salmon I use a combination of 10% hickory and 90% apple wood for my fire. That mixture works the best for me. I also use one big cedar plank that has been soaking in a mixture of apple cider and Old Bay Seasoning for approx 30 minutes.

Well I was going to suggest smoking a salmon...but that idea was already taken. Depending on the style of the get together you could do pizzas, maybe a bone-in prime rib, lobsters...

Live Different

Sat Nov 01, 2003 11:36 pm

The Roff

Dkrin,

I don’t have any problem with the filets drying out, and I don’t use a mop sauce. I guess my smoker tonight averaged 280 to 300 and I have them in there for exactly 1 ½ hours. They were perfect. The wild rice and mushroom pilaf was a bust however. It was dry and very bland. More experimenting here. I have never soaked my planks in anything but water. I will give seasoned water or cider a try. Thanks for the idea.

Thanks for the tip on the salmon filets - i guess that I always assumed that a slow cooking would dry out a salmon filet since that is how salmon seems to be served at most resturants. I will give it a try now and experience it for myself.

Thanks for the help all!
I like the ideas so far. Salmon filets/steaks are one of my favorites on the grill. Dkirn-I've never had problems with the fish drying out. Salmon is so fatty to begin with it doesn't take much to keep it moist. Cook it to you liking though, I prefer my fish more well done than most. But if yu're still concerned a little seasoned (or not) oilive oil and cooking skin side down for all but the last few minutes will keep it nice and moist.

Back to my delima: There are going to be some kids whom I know won't eat fish. The bone in prime rib sounds like the way to go. May even supplement it with a few lobster tails thrown in for good measure (Luke you got me hungy just thinking of those babys). If all else fails the beef tenderloins is a surefire standby.

You want impressive, try doing a whole hog. Use your Brinkmann, leave the head on, and stand back.
Have sunglasses (for the pig) at the ready, as well as a hat, and some cigarettes, and your camera. makes great table chatter too. Be careful about removing him from the smoker. . .you'll need a board to carry it, and some sober helpers.
For your grill, some kabobs would work well for some do-it yourself appetizers. Guys, just love grilling. made "bread kabobs". . .chunks of provolone, sun-dried tomato's, and baguette slices on skewers. Brush with garlic flavored oil and salt keeps it flavorful, and simple. Use wooden skewers, please.

Well that is something that I forgot about - we had a party this spring where I had maranated all of the meat and veggies and placed everything in separate dishes and let our guests make their own kabobs and then bring them out to the grill where I cooked them and then added the BBQ sauce of their choice. It was great since everyone could make their kabobs with exactly what they like and it was a different experience for everyone. And as an added plus my wife and I did not have to spend all that time putting everything on skewers!

Kids, ladies who just won't eat hardly anything, very unadventurous people... they are a constant source of problems for me when I que. So whenever I cook I always make some chicken breasts and if kids are present some kind of sausage. It is boring and I don't really like that I have to do it but I have to say I get all kinds of complements on them. It is a sad day when a moist piece of chicken and a browned but not burned dog make you the king of the grill!!!